2.4 Monitoring Faults

Vocabulary

Outline

Introduction

Devices that Monitor Faults

• unfortunately, scientists cannot always predict earthquakes accurately, but they can monitor their movements
• creep meters
  • measures horizontal movement of the ground
  • geologists can measure the amount the fault has moved
• laser-ranging devices
  • detect tiny fault movements
  • the device can detect any change in distance to the reflector
• tilt-meters
  • measures tilting in the ground
  • uses water-tubes
• satellite monitors
  • makes images of the fault
    • by comparing images, geologists detect small images in elevation
      • the changes in elevation result when stress deforms the ground along the fault

Monitoring Risk in the United States

• geologists can determine earthquake risk by locating where faults are active and where past earthquakes have occurred